Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1887-12-15
A PERSONAL DUTY.
Politics the Price of Civil Liberty and the
Protection of Law.

frOtectlOn Oh Law.
In a Republican government. per-
sonal, practical politics is the price of
civil liberty and the protection of law.
A negligent, cowardly. or selfish sub
serviency to the worst clements in the
community is the greatest danger that
threatens its stability.
Republican institutions therefore
can only thrive and flourish when the
best citizens are in authority. But
when we prostitute our opportunities
and privileges, and, through our negli-
gence, hand over these duties and obli-
cations to the INSCRIPTIONS. mercen-
AIRY and degraded portion of the COM
munity, we may be assured that the
life and existence of our Republic will
as certainly 60 down under cloud of
corruption and debauchcry, as that vir-
tue and vice are counter to each other.
We can not any more expect to gather
grapes from thorns, or figs from this
ties. than expect the perpctuation of
our liberties and civilization without y
pClSOhul ultcHtlOu W llc ulCIeS tu(l
privileges that grow out of our re:a-
tons and obligations to the political in
terests of our country. In govern
ment of the people, for the peo-
pie, and by the people, our
attention to these duties and obliga-
tons is as imperative as food is to live,
and can not be ignored without pro-
ducing disintegration and final disso-
luton as natural result.
Nor should the people delude them
selves with the idea that these political
duties are fully performed when they
deposit their ballots on election day.
The most important part of the duty
consists in attention to the primary or
preliminary work of selecting candi-
dates. and by combinations. arguments
and methods to maintain the principles
and secure the objects for which these
elections are held. Combinations or
parties are therefore essential to a sue
cessful republican government. especi-
ally a combination of the best elements
in the community. But the craven.
pusillanimous attitude that is assumed
by those who have only lukewarm SYM
pathy with the object and work, or who
adopt the sham or blind delusion of
non-partisanship to cover up their po-
litical delinquency. proves how easily
men can delude themselves with a pre-
tense of virtue-like the ostrich bury
ing his head in the sand, they only
show more clearly their cowardly and
despicable position as political nonen-
titles. And in order to justify our own
sense of patriotic duty. these non-par-
tisan deadheads should be regarded as
incubuses on our body polite, deserv-
ing universal condemnation, and treat
ed in such a way as to shame them into
an action and a recognition of their po-
litical duties.
Incidence in politics is akin to
treachery, as the selfish Incidence Of
good men furnishes the most effective
opportunity for ambitious bad men to
accomplish their nefarious purposes.
The Incidence of good men and the
treachery of bad men are equally dam
gerous; and unless both are finally
overcome by the awakened intelligence
and virtue of the people, either the
ravages of anarchy or the enthrone-
ment of despotism is inevitable.
All intelligent citizens, while enjoy
ing the protection of law, and the nu-
merous benefits of our Christian civili- |
zation, surrounded with the comforts !
of a home. enjoying the assured secur-
ity of their lives and property. with |
the flag of their own country, as the
emblem of liberty, justice and patriot
ism. floating over them. ought to be
willing and even anxious to bear their
share of the public burdens by giving
their attention to its political charac-
ter and stability; but by Sinking be-
hind their professions of sympathy or
the selfish position of a non-partisan~
and in this way lazily and cowardly
their legal rights ahd polit-
ical obligations, more especially when
great moral questions are before the
people for settlement, they become
base and craven traitors to their coun-
Try; and these who love their homes